News

Gatehouse Horticultural Society 2017 Annual Show held on Saturday 26th August at Gatehouse Community Centre

Well what a show, a great turnout with lots of entries and new, and not so new, faces who came along with a great collection of exhibits.

The show was opened by the President Joe Proudlock who introduced Sara-Leigh Cain in his usual entertaining way, Sara-Leigh presented the trophies to the winners and thanked everyone for coming along and taking part.A strong emphasis on working together as a community was made by Sara-Leigh to keep the vibrancy of Gatehouse going.

Heavy rain did not worry Gatehouse's Nurture in Nature group, who came well prepared to plant out begonias at the Town Hall garden. A group of five small children and their parents, later joined by others eagerly set to work and planted out two big boxes of begonias, which had been kindly donated by Dumfries and Galloway council.

A grant of £200 awarded to the Gatehouse Development Initiative will help restore the Town Hall garden, which the Local Authority is no longer able to maintain. With the Council’s agreement volunteers have already begun to restore this garden which is much loved by visitors and locals alike. This activity is part of the Volunteering Matters Action Earth campaign which is supported by Scottish Natural Heritage.

Fun Outdoors is an inspirational after-school group for children of primary school age in Gatehouse of Fleet in which children learn many basic skills like starting fires, campfire cooking, building shelters, whittling, safe tool use, using maps, arts and crafts, whilst playing games and having fun. Many (if not most) of the primary school aged children in Gatehouse have benefited from this group over the last 4 years.

A beautiful sunny day greeted festival walkers as they set off for a walk through a thousand years of history. With the scent of bluebells strong in the air, the walkers visited the Cally Motte before going onto the Temple and then heading for Cally via the sunken dyke. The walkers made their way to the Mill on the Fleet by way of the old school, where they were able to enjoy a welcome drink before heading back to Newton Stewart on the bus.

Food Train is a social enterprise providing vital support services to enable older people to live independently at home for as long as possible. In addition to providing a vital grocery delivery service The Food Train is establishing a new befriending service in the Strewartry.

New signs have been erected at the entrances to Gatehouse declaring that we are a Biosphere community.

Gatehouse of Fleet is a proud supporter of the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere. A Biosphere is a special designation awarded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to areas renowned for their special environments which are valued by local people.

Kirkcudbright is well known as the artists' town but over the last 150 years artists have painted across the Stewartry. On Thursday 16th March, David Steel will be giving an illustrated talk entitled "Borgue in Scottish Art." David will tell the story of the many artists, some famous, some less well known who have chosen the parish of Borgue as the subject for a wide variety of paintings.

Special Places

Cairnholy II

Cairnholy IIOne of a pair of well preserved Neolithic tombs in a spectacular location. More.

Cairnholy

CairnholyThere are two burial sites at Cairnholy dating from Neolithic times, both very well preserved and commanding fine views over Wigtown Bay. Cairnholy I is notable for the impressive facade, in front of which, archaeological evidence suggests, ceremonies took place. More.

The River Fleet

The River FleetThere are pretty walks alongside the Fleet as it meanders down through the valley. Bankside trees shade many favoured fishing pools. More.

Caerlaverock

Caerlaverock CastleOne of Scotland's greatest medieval castles - about an hour away, south of Dumfries. Can be combined with a visit to Sweetheart Abbey, the New Abbey Cornmill, (both also Historic Scotland), Caerlaverock Bird Reserve, or The National Museum of Costume at New Abbey. Historic Scotland:read more.

Bluebells

BluebellsDuring the early summer the woodlands around Gatehouse are carpeted with bluebells. Both Castramont and Cally Woods are particularly popular for viewing them. More.